Foster leaving Dalton for Perry

Published: August 5, 2000 12:00AM

Multiple state championships were predicted for Dalton freshman wrestler John Foster by his coach, Kevin Walton, in the winter.

And, Foster may very well fulfill Walton's prophecy uttered in January: "It's my true belief, the question is not, 'Will John win a state championship?,' but, 'how many state championships will the kid win?'"

However, Foster's road to glory just got a whole lot tougher. Any matches he wins from now on, he'll win for Massillon Perry.

Earlier this week Foster confirmed he's transferring to Perry this fall. That means not only a change in schools, but a jump from Div. III to I.

The lure of better competition -- both in matches and practice -- and more exposure to college coaches is at the heart of the decision.

"Dalton is just starting out with its wrestling program and Perry has been strong for a long time," Foster said. "They wrestle some of the toughest competition in the state. Really, their schedule is even tougher than (Lakewood) St. Eds.

"I like Dalton, and the school, and have a lot of friends there, but I think Perry is the best place for me. I think colleges will look more at a Div. I school and (Perry coach) Dave Riggs knows a lot of people."

As a freshman, Foster turned in one of the best rookie campaigns in area wrestling history, helping to put the 3-year old Dalton program on the state map. He came close to a championship in his first state tournament, placing third at 112 pounds in Div. III and finishing the season 43-1.

Despite a long list of area state wrestling champions only one has ever won two titles: Hillsdale's Mike Glass (1976 and 1977, A, 167 pounds).

Walton believed Foster could have continued to improve in the Bulldogs' system as well. He had hoped to help him join Glass in the record books, or surpass him, but expressed no ill feelings about the transfer.

"We'll miss John this year, that's for sure," said Walton, who had suspected for some time that Foster might leave for Perry. "He was a wrestling inspiration to our younger wrestlers -- they all wanted to try and emulate the things he did.

"His position on our team will be impossible to fill for some time. We're sorry to see him go, but I wish him well."

The move to Perry should be like second nature for Foster, who grew up wrestling in an Akron area youth program under Riggs. In fact, Foster attended Edison Junior High in Massillon before opting to wrestle for Dalton as a freshman.

"I'm buddies with a bunch of the guys at Perry and the school's only 15 minutes away from where I live in Dalton," Foster said.

Perry won the Federal League title last season and placed 11th at the state meet. This winter the Panthers are slated to wrestle at such meatgrinders as the Beast of the East Tournament in Delaware, the Medina Invitational, Walsh Jesuit's Ironman and the Ohio Dual Meet.

Foster is the second All-Ohioan to leave an area school for a bigger program this year. Orrville quarterback Justin Zwick transferred to Massillon in March, where he'll be a junior this fall.

The duo may have squeezed their moves in just in time. Principals of schools in the Ohio High School Athletic Association will vote on a constitutional amendment in October that would make transfers ineligible for one year beginning in August, 2001, unless their families actually move.